To the Knights , Gentlemen , Freeholders and Commons of England , EDWARD STEPHENS wisheth Prudence , Piety , Peace and Happiness . Gentlemen and Fellow-Commoners ,

WHat you see here Open was sent Sealed to divers Members , your Trustees and Representatives in Parliament , being then printed , not to be publish'd , but only a small number to be presented to them . But since they have pubublish'd their * * V. Old English Loyalty . p. 13. 14. Votes concerning it ; 't is fit and but just you should see what it is they have so Censur'd . I have many years endeavoured to serve you to the best of my Ability , without seeking Preferment or Reward from Men , or accepting of what hath been offer'd . What I have written lately for the Service of our Great Master and your Selves , hath been ill requited by the Prudential * * A name not imposed , but assumed very properly . Latitudinarian Bishops with False Reports and Calumnies , no less than of Madness and Popery , like the False Prophets of old , and the Incendiaries of the late Civil Wars : And what I have offer'd to the House for the same purpose , both formerly , and now again , hath been so treated as is very inconsistent either with their Duty or our Right . For these things I appeal to the Righteous Judgment of Almighty God , to your own Consciences , and to the next Parliamant ; and to a Convention of the Clergy , as to what concerns the Bishops and the false Charge of Popery . These Gentlemen , who set up themselves for our Masters , receive all their Authority from Us , and under our Hands and Seals ; and if we do not let them know they are our our Servants , and accountable to Us for their Behaviour , We our selves are justly answerable for their Misbehaviour before God and Man . And if we do not appear as well for the Honour of the King , when there is occasion , as for the Rights of the Subject , we do not discharge our Duty to our Country , perform our Oath to the King , or are Worthy of the Benefit of so Noble a Government . I hope you will look better to your Election the next time , and send up such Persons as have more sense of Religion and their Duty to God , of the true English Government , and the Honour of the King , of your Rights and the Trust reposed in them , and fit to enquire into the Miscarriages of these .

To Sir Richard Cocks . Sir Richard ,

AS I am a Commoner of England , it is , as I told you before , my Right and my Duty to take notice , and complain to the House of Commons , of all , or any such matters of publick Concern as are proper for the Inquiry or Consideration of that House . And as I am a Christian , I am much more obliged to use that Right , and discharge that Duty , when they are such as do affront , or do Contempt to the Christian Religion , which is the Religion of the Nation , and so Essential a part of this Constitution , that it is one of the Fundamental Principles of our Laws , that what-ever Laws are enacted in any thing contrary to this Religion , they are so far void and null . This is the common Right and Duty of every Commoner of England . But besides all this , I have been for some Years , by the special Providence of Almighty God , engaged in his more immediate Service , and without limitation to any special Charge ; so that where-ever I have opportunity for his Service , I am obliged faithfully to discharge it . And besides all this , I am obliged by Oath to be faithful to the present King , which I intend , by the Grace of God , faithfully to perform , tho for special , and , I think , good Reasons , I refuse to take it again . These are great Obligations , and such as I cannot discharge without taking notice and complaining of what I observe greatly amiss in Both Houses of Parliament . And I shall do it first to you , as my proper Representative ; and by you desire it may be represented to the House , as you will answer it to your Country , for which you serve .

In your House I observe such abominable Impiety , and Contempt of Religion , as greater hath rarely been known : I have heard it complained of by Members of the House , that a Man can hardly mention any thing of God or Religion there , but he shall be in danger to be ridicul'd or laught at . And when I have asked , why no body moved the House that some of them might be called to the Bar , and made Examples , the common Answer hath been , It would be to no purpose . Which is the Shame of the whole House , and notorious Evidence of their Impudence and Ignorance of what becomes such Assemblies , in one part of them ; and of such Baseness , as makes them unworthy of the Name of Christians in the rest ; as if the generous Discharge of so great and noble a Duty , was not of it self a thing to great purpose ; as if the Fearful , or such as are ashamed of Christ , or his Words , are not to have their part with Infidels and Unbelievers ; that is , with such as the rest of their Fellow-Members of whom they complain ; as if their Baseness might not reasonably be imputed by the others to Infidelity and Disbelief of the Religion , which they profess , to the Scandal of Religion , and Hardening those poor Creatures in their Impiety . It is no wonder if the whole Nation abound in Infidelity , and all kind of Wickedness , when there is no more Religion in those who should correct it among the Commons , and the * * Of their Prudentials , I have long since noted one remarkable Instance in Reflections on the Action at Sea , p. 29 , 30 , 31 , and another lately in my Narrative , besides others elsewhere . Latitudinarian Bishops among the Lords . And now I appeal to the Consciences of all , who have any Sense of Religion , and to the dreadful Tribunal of Almighty God , whether these things be not true , and whether there be not more danger to the Nation from such a House of Commons , and such Bishops , than from Popery , and from all the Priests and Jesuites in the Nation , if they were as many more as they are .

And where there is no more Fear of God , it is no wonder if there be not that Honour and Respect for the King , that there ought to be : Freedom of Debates in Parliament is undoubtedly the Right of the Subject : But if under pretence of Freedom of Debates any members shall do acts of Insolence and Disrespect to the King , that is no part of their Right , but a Violation of Duty to the King , and tending to the Dissolution of the Government , and ought to be corrected .

That your late Votes , grounded upon a false and foolish Letter to a Member of Parliament , was such , is believed by many , to get an advantage against the King ; and to prevent that , 't is likely many did comply in their Votes , who did not see any other reason for it ; and the Choice of the Chairman for that Committee , a Person , who was turn'd out of her Service by the late good Queen , hath declared openly in your Lobby to my self , that he thought Vice ought to be encouraged , and is reported to have expressed no little disrespect to the King in your House before now , is a considerable Aggravation of the Indignity . How such things can be consistent either with Conscience and Religion , Civil Duty to our Country , and one of the best Governments in the World , or their Oaths of Fidelity to the King , I do not understand : Nor so much as with common Prudence for themselves , and their own Rights . The King hath shewed himself a Prince of great Courage , and of as great Prudence and Conduct . Almighty God has by him , as his Instrument , in Confederacy with divers of the chief Catholick Princes , vouchsafed us a happy Peace , if we have the Discretion to use it as we ought , and as becomes Persons sensible of his Goodness , and of the Respect they ought to have for his Instruments in it . But I doubt these Politicians do but egregiously befool themselves with a vain Conceit add Presumption of having the Purse of the Nation . For certainly the King hath as little need of them , as they have of him : And by such Politicks they do but provoke the just Indignation , not only of a wise Prince , but of all honest and faithful Subjects ; and most of all , of those Confederates , who , if this King should die , as he must one day , may by the just Judgment of God , enter into a Confederacy of themselves to correct their Ingratitude and Folly . Nay , should the King but dissolve this Parliament , and in a Declaration set out such Reasons as he may for that , and for Calling of another , their little Politicks with themselves might probably be soon in the dirt . The Pretence of the * * There are other more proper , natural , and effectual Means to remove all Fear of Popery , than such Violence of Factions : of which the King cannot but know something . Growth of Popery hath been made use of to so ill purpose heretofore ; hath so little ground at this time , more than what proceeds from the Negligence of the Clergy in assisting condemned Persons , and visiting the Sick , and the Obstinacy and Unconcernedness of a Party of Prudential Latitudinarian Bishops , for what does more properly belong to their Charge , and particularly for mending their Cause , and making that sound , which is indefensible at present ; and is raised , I believe , so unseasonably to serve and support a lame and tottering Cause , that 't is like to prove the Shame and Confusion both of it , and of those who make use of such indirect Means for that purpose . Let me but know who were the Composers of that Letrer , and had the Impudence and Folly to call me ( as it is commonly understood ) Madman Convert , ( two Lyes at once ) and I do not doubt but to give you such Account of the whole Matter , as will sufficiently satifie both the House and all honest and wise Men in the Nation . What I have more to say , I shall reserve till I see what Use is made of this . I hope the House will consider what is to be done , both to expiate that provoking Wickedness against God , and to Correct , as they deserve , all Indignities done to the King : and you shall always find me ready , in what belongs to me , to serve Both , and my Country , in the best manner I can .

Your humble Servant , Edward Stephens .